Activision/Blizzard no longer a part of Vivendi

[MoanaLisa]

Just noting that after some completely predictable legal hassles the deal is done to be out from under Vivendi.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/11/ac...-from-vivendi/

My take is that nothing much changes short term. Planning for the longer term should be a little bit easier for Blizzard now. Especially important given their epic lead times to get anything finished.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Nothing will change probably at all for next expansion. And by that I mean 6.0 all the way to 6.4. We likely won't see the impacts until they get to stuff that isn't already planned out, meaning 6.5-7.0.


Edit: Just realized this is a mod-created thread. Is this the first time such a thing has happened not in the News section?

[Arbs]

We are Free of the Leech, now to shake off the other problem if possible.

[CosmicGuitars]

We are Free of the Leech, now to shake off the other problem if possible.

Praise Be Bobby Kotick, our hero

[mvaliz]

Just noting that after some completely predictable legal hassles the deal is done to be out from under Vivendi.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/11/ac...-from-vivendi/

My take is that nothing much changes short term. Planning for the longer term should be a little bit easier for Blizzard now. Especially important given their epic lead times to get anything finished.

Depending on the situation, that could be a VERY good thing!

Now they don't have to worry about their profits supporting any investments on the Vivendi side not holding up to par. Trust me, I know how this went. My company got purchased by a big mega-corp, and after 2 years our division was the only one that made profit. The only problem was our profits sustained only us... and could not sustain the debts of the larger company. Result? Both folded.

If the majority of the profits stay in Acti/Blizz now - that could help a lot. But, as the others above have said, there is the other leech. :P

[Arbs]

Praise Be Bobby Kotick, our hero

Funny thing is I was actually rooting for Booby Kotick on this & the other Counter Sue Lawsuit with Worlds something.

It feels weird cheering for the guy !!

- - - Updated - - -

Depending on the situation, that could be a VERY good thing!

Now they don't have to worry about their profits supporting any investments on the Vivendi side not holding up to par. Trust me, I know how this went. My company got purchased by a big mega-corp, and after 2 years our division was the only one that made profit. The only problem was our profits sustained only us... and could not sustain the debts of the larger company. Result? Both folded.

If the majority of the profits stay in Acti/Blizz now - that could help a lot. But, as the others above have said, there is the other leech. :P

The other leech isn't bad, but they could become a problem if they cross that line.

[Al Gorefiend]

I need an economics lesson, bear with me.

Wasn't Vivendi a financial backer? They had stock in Blizzard, and if Blizzard were to for whatever reason be in desperate need of cash such as a failed game, a lawsuit or an Earthquake in California it'd be in Vivendi's best interest to supply them with cash.

Idk, its like midnight, what does this change?

[MoanaLisa]

Nothing will change probably at all for next expansion. And by that I mean 6.0 all the way to 6.4. We likely won't see the impacts until they get to stuff that isn't already planned out, meaning 6.5-7.0.


Edit: Just realized this is a mod-created thread. Is this the first time such a thing has happened not in the News section?

Don't know. I just saw the story that the deal was done today and thought a thread about that would be nice given that the subject over the last year or so has been the subject of a few dozen threads here bordering on hysteria one way or another. I expect there will be a news post about it but really I'm just like anyone else that's interested in the affair.

Agree that whatever effects it has will likely be very difficult to detect (not that that won't stop people but...forums). Their long-range planning can at least move forward without wondering what a bunch of billionaire tycoons on a sinking corporate ship in Paris (that are running businesses that no longer have anything to do with their principle business) are going to do at some point to pull the rug out from under them.

[arcaneshot]

Idk, its like midnight, what does this change?

Vivendi can't use Activision Blizzard as a vehicle to siphon money for its debts now that they are no longer the majority shareholder.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I need an economics lesson, bear with me.

Wasn't Vivendi a financial backer? They had stock in Blizzard, and if Blizzard were to for whatever reason be in desperate need of cash such as a failed game, a lawsuit or an Earthquake in California it'd be in Vivendi's best interest to supply them with cash.

Idk, its like midnight, what does this change?

Vivendi actually was the owner/parent company of Acti-Blizz. A few weeks ago (month? months?) Vivendi announced that it was going to be drawing profits off Acti-Blizz in order to shore up it's failing TV business in France.

That was when Acti-Blizz announced they'd be buying back majority share of their stock from Vivendi.

The biggest change short-term is it's now Bobby Kotik at the top, rather than the head of Vivendi.

[Deleted]

so we see a new WoW every Year now.

[HeinzBBQ]

Hopefully Blizzard will get their shit together now and actually produce some content that will increase the number of subscribers instead of making the number decrease.

[Friskyrum]

Funny thing is I was actually rooting for Booby Kotick on this & the other Counter Sue Lawsuit with Worlds something.




The other leech isn't bad, but they could become a problem if they cross that line.

I agree! And plus most of there Game Companies fell apart in 1 way or another and this was the only thing truly keeping them a live.

[TheWindWalker]

Hopefully Blizzard will get their shit together now and actually produce some content that will increase the number of subscribers instead of making the number decrease.

Unless they have a time machine or Yuri from Red Alert 2, don't count on it. They could release "Burning Crusade 2: This Time the Attunements are 40 Man" and please half the "things have really gone downhill since Wrath" people... and the numbers will plummet down to F2P by the next month.

[Deleted]

Hopefully Blizzard will get their shit together now and actually produce some content that will increase the number of subscribers instead of making the number decrease.

The game is still almost 10 years old and people who have gotten tired of it will still be tired of no matter what Blizzard do.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

The game is still almost 10 years old and people who have gotten tired of it will still be tired of no matter what Blizzard do.

Unless Blizzard does some some minor things that all add up that make things good again. Yadda Yadda etc etc.

[hrugner]

Funny thing is I was actually rooting for Booby Kotick on this & the other Counter Sue Lawsuit with Worlds something.

It feels weird cheering for the guy !!

He comes off as an ass, but his public face is there expressly to impress money people, not gamers.

After the announcement the Blizz/act was buying itself back, and before the lawsuit troubles completely manifested, is when we started hearing about the massive hiring project for boosting production. I know you can't throw money at a problem; but after a few years of GC saying we can have the patty or the bun, but not both, I think Blizzard could use the injection of talent and labor.

All that aside, I'm glad to hear that the deal is complete. Maybe now Blizz can show what it's been hiding from the world in order to keep it's buy back price low... I can dream anyway.